


A is A: Cold as Ice

by Flyboy254



Series: A Is A [4]
Category: Battlefield (Video Games), Fairy Tail, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 15:18:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13707141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyboy254/pseuds/Flyboy254
Summary: With Fairy Tail's strongest team in tow, SG-1 arrives on an alternate Earth consumed by ice and embroiled in war. Who are these new forces, and will they accept the strange group of lunatics with a walking talking flying cat?





	A is A: Cold as Ice

**Cold as Ice**

 

Gen. Hammond walked out of his office to see SG-1 and Fairy Tail waiting for him. “Good morning all. With the Fairy Tail team checked out and cleared for field duty, I’ve decided that all teams will go on trial missions with SG-1 until the objectives and goals of our mission are fully understood. Is that clear?” All present gave a nod. “Good, then we’ll start the briefing. Yesterday we sent out a MALP to U-148-R. It sent back a standard survey of gravity, air quality, all within tolerances. Only we made contact with a satellite system. The MALP sent back a GPS location of North Africa.”

 

O’Neill raised a hand. “Little far off the mark sir, that place is packed during tourism season.”

 

“More interestingly, it was one of our own satellites,” Hammond said. “A weather satellite launched by the Air Force last week, and somehow is still in operation.”

 

Carter caught the comment. “Still in operation sir?”

 

“We managed to get a clock back from the satellite’s systems. According to the data it’s been in orbit over Earth to the year 2142.”

 

Erza did some quick math. “Nearly a hundred and fifty years. What else did you find?”

 

Hammond pressed play on the monitor. “We managed to get back photos of the planet. At first it all appears normal. Then watch what happens around 2120.”

 

The teams leaned in close, watching as the months flew by picture by picture. Carter watched carefully, but the moment she saw it Gray shot up. “The ice, it’s advancing into that region more every year.”

 

Gen. Hammond nodded. “Our climatologists confirmed it, these images show a massive wall of ice moving south worldwide. In this reality, the Earth’s global temperature has dropped by at least ten degrees Celsius.”

 

Carter shook her head. “Global food production would plummet. Entire cities would be wiped off the map. There’s no way the majority of the world’s population could survive.”

 

Gen. Hammond nodded. “You’re exactly correct major. Before we lost contact the satellite was redirected. Even though it was designed for weather patterns we were able to acquire a ground image outside of the Suez Canal. Our analysts managed to clear the picture as best they could.” A new image appeared on the monitor. It was a facility, massive in scale, with a river running through it and several massive green circular structures. To the north, there were three rectangular shapes. Shapes that were hovering over the ground, with a missile trail leading directly to it.

 

O’Neill nodded. “Seems safe enough.”

 

“Sen. Kinsey is pressuring us to move and move now,” Hammond said. “He seems to think that just because we’ve brought back three powerful allies and made contact with three new nations, that isn’t enough. Sadly, Maj. Carter helped to prove his point.” Everyone looked at Carter in confusion for a second. “Maj. Carter’s reports on wizards, alchemists, and benders were direct; there is no way we can replicate those abilities with our technologies.” Hammond looked at Carter with deep understanding in his eyes. “I know you didn’t mean to give the senator any ammo major, no one here blames you in the slightest.”

 

Natsu sneered. “I sure do. How could you do that, giving a gasbag like him something to use against us when we’re trying to help you?”

 

Gen. Hammond quickly took back control from Natsu. “The primary point is that we need technologies, more teams aren’t going to satisfy Kinsey anymore. If this dimension has technologies that can finally bring a real fight against the Goa’uld, we have to make the effort to bring them back. You all have forty-eight hours to prepare. Dismissed.”

 

* * *

 

SG-1 suited up for the mission, Fairy Tail issued the necessary articles to appear as part of one unit. Of course, no one bothered to take Natsu’s scarf. The airman who tried was still nursing a badly sprained wrist.

 

“So what was that facility anyway?” Gray carefully put on his uniform, trying to at least try and make sure he couldn’t just rip it off. “It didn’t look like a city or ancient temple.”

 

Carter laced up her boots. “My best guess is that it might be a kind of refinery, those were tanks on the right side of that image for some kind of liquid. It might be a kind of biofuel plant actually, spectrum analysis showed that they were filled with a green liquid.”

 

Lucy made a face that just said, “Yuck”. “I can’t believe this. First you tell us that there’s cars running off this gasoline stuff, now there’s green gunk too? Why can’t you all just pick one thing that isn’t gross?”

 

“Yeah, you know that’s just what I think about before I head into a combat zone, ‘Why can’t we just focus on one kind of automotive fuel’, really gets me focused.” O’Neill patted down each of his pockets to make sure that everything was in place. “Okay, you kids line up and we’ll check you out to make sure you’ve got everything.” The wizards did as told, and O’Neill checked their uniforms out carefully. Lucy wore her uniform tight, and O’Neill gave her a warning glance as he adjusted the LBV properly so it wouldn’t constrict her if they needed to move. Gray, conversely, was too loose, and O’Neill made a point to tighten everything before sending the ice wizard through the gate. Erza wore her uniform perfectly, which unnerved O’Neill a little since she’d only gotten it five days ago. Natsu didn’t even bother with an LBV, but glared at O’Neill as if he was daring the colonel to try and take the scarf away. Happy just got a cover.

 

More important to O’Neill than the scarf were the pistols on their hips. Erza had qualified easily, scoring near-perfect on the final test. Lucy and Gray had struggled slightly, but with enough patient mentoring and practice the two understood what was expected of them. Natsu had barely qualified, and had to be reminded by Erza that if he wasn’t willing to carry the weapon, he could always go to Makarov about the problem. “Alright, everyone, four rules of firearm safety?”

 

“Treat every weapon as if it were loaded. Never point your weapon at anything you don’t intend to shoot. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire. Keep your weapon on safe until you’re ready to fire.” Natsu grumbled through the recital, but even he remembered the rules by heart at least.

 

The eight formed up in the gate room, walking up the ramp as the FRED groaned under the weight of Erza’s many armors. Striding up the gate, O’Neill gave a wave to the control room. “See you in two weeks, sir.”

 

Gen. Hammond nodded. “Good luck SG-1, God-speed.”

 

A quick gate journey later, and the two teams strode out onto a barren, rocky outcropping overlooking the facility they saw in the satellite images. The second thing that hit O’Neill was that it was bitterly cold for North Africa. “I guess Egypt and Minnesota are doing a weather exchange program.”

 

Carter spread out a map on the ground as the FRED rolled loyally behind Erza and the radio transponder she carried. “We’re on the western side of the map, just to the north of what looks like a small complex of temporary buildings. What’s the plan sir?”

 

O’Neill looked back to Erza. “What’s the range on your gear?”

 

“I can requip within twenty-five miles of my armor,” Erza said. “Given the size of the facility, I should have no difficulties.”

 

“Good enough for me.” Quickly covering the FRED with camo tarp and making it look as much like a boulder as they could, O’Neill took out his binoculars and too a look at the situation. “Teal’c, take the lead, Carter take the rear. Happy, don’t start flying until I tell you to.”

 

As they moved, they heard the distant echoes of battle. Gunfire cracked in the distance, the chattering of machine guns matched by the explosive percussion of mortar shells. “What’s going on down there,” Gray asked, flinching at the cacophony. “What kind of battle is this?”

 

“It's probably war," O'Neill said, voice not so much dripping as flowing with sarcasm. “Sounds like both forces are stuck at an impasse, they’re probably trying to test out the lines, see who’s where and how they can push through.”

 

A rumble sounded in the far distance, and O’Neill twitched. “Vehicle, everyone find cover and get down.”

 

The teams scattered, ducking behind the rocks and boulders that counted for cover on the barren plateau. Turning to the sound, O’Neill saw them riding towards him in the distance, two small and squat fast vehicles probably used for scouting, and two boxy wheeled hulks that were probably transports. O’Neill could see machine guns on top of them all, swiveling about on small turrets looking for targets to pump full of lead. “Everyone stay perfectly still, if we’re lucky they won’t notice a thing.”

 

“Christ, today of all days,” Lieutenant Campbell groaned, his highland accent making the radio message half-unintelligible for the rest of the platoon. “Did command give us any more information on what the PACs were trying?”

 

“Nothing sir,” Sergeant Weber said, rubbing at the dust still covering her chin as she went on in her powerful Bavarian accent. “Tac-map indicates the PAC Commando are stalled at the central offices, no sightings of any mark twos yet but they have reported PAC supersonics patrolling the skies. Until the Africans lend us some of their fighters we’re going to have to keep focused skyward.”

 

Campbell groaned again and changed frequencies. “Gantz, Becker, anything unusual?”

 

In their open-topped Bandit, Lance Corporals Gantz and Becker rolled over a larger rock than before. “ _Nothing sir, area looks clear. It’s a mess over at the offices though._ ” Becker turned the Bandit’s camera to see the mass of smoke plumes rising from what was supposed to be the center of civilian food production in the region. “ _Did the alert mention active cameo?_ ”

 

“Affirmative,” Campbell replied. “Alright, get us to the cliffside and, wait, what’s that?” Adjusting the screen for the mortar turret, Campbell thought he was hallucinating until he saw that, no, he was seeing some blue shape sticking out from behind a nearby rock. “Sergeant, do you see that?”

 

Weber turned her own turret controls and nodded. “ _Ja_ sir, looks like some kind of fabric. Some kind of PAC trap?”

 

Campbell radioed to the two FAVs. “Rapier One, Rapier Two, we have a possible object twenty meters to our left, just before the cliff. Investigate and report.”

 

As O’Neill watched, the two smaller vehicles broke off and rolled toward his position. “Dammit. Everyone stay perfectly still, don’t do anything to get yourselves seen.”

 

The wheels slowed as they crunched on the pebbles and rocks near SG-1’s position. O’Neill didn’t dare peek up, praying that the men inside the FAVs would be too concerned with the battle nearby to care about whatever they saw. The reality was that if they were caught, and the parties involved were hostile, it was an endgame situation. Taking a breath, O’Neill’s thumb went to the safety.

 

A Germanic accent broke the silence, and Daniel made a mental translation. “Sir, it’s…it’s a cat’s tail.” Silence. “I know sir, but I’m looking at it right now. It’s, I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s just a cat’s tail behind a rock.” Another silence. “Yes sir.” Two pairs of footsteps came closer, and O’Neill prayed that whoever it was would find anyone but-

 

O’Neill opened his eyes as two men in gray and black uniforms shouted at the teams, in what sounded like an Asian language. “Daniel, translation please?”

 

“They’re speaking Mandarin with a German accent,” Daniel said, confused and not bothering to hide it. “They’re telling us to put our hands in the air and not make any sudden movements.”

 

“English?” One of the men lowered a boxy rifle in front of O’Neill. “Americans?”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Yep, Col. Jack O’Neill. So, Egypt? British missing the empire?”

 

The man raised his rifle again. “Hands in the air, now. All of you get away from your-” The soldier paused, staring to his right. Daring, O’Neill looked over to see he was looking at Happy. Whose paws were up. Suddenly he snapped out of it and motioned with his rifle. “All of you, line up before the vehicles. Slowly, leave your weapons here.” The teams did as ordered, though Natsu looked like he was getting angrier by the second.

 

Another German stood by the two FAVs, as the turrets tracked O’Neill and the others as they walked. The two APCs circled around them to the sides, opening to let four more soldiers in gray uniforms out. All of them instantly stared at Happy. One of them stepped forward, eyes unable to leave the standing, blue-furred cat.

 

“You know, if you want him we can sell him to you for a twenty.” O’Neill ignored the glare Natsu was giving him.

 

“All your weapons on the ground, now,” a woman said. O’Neill couldn’t see any rank anywhere, but from the tone of the voice O’Neill was going to guess an NCO. “One at a time, then step away.”

 

One by one, the team did as ordered. A small pile of weapons sat before the NCO, from Teal’c’s staff to a small blade Erza had brought with her.

 

Daniel heard one of the men speak to another in German. “What kind of weapons are these, some kind of experimental PAC equipment?”

 

“Like I would know Gantz?”

 

O’Neill raised a finger. “Question?” The soldiers raised their rifles slightly. “Is there anyone we can talk to?”

 

Another man stepped forward. “Tell us the truth, no American’s been across the oceans since 2138. Who are you?”

 

O’Neill was about to respond to that statement when Natsu answered for him. “Enough of this crap, let’s just bust up these jerks and-” Natsu was quickly set on by several soldiers, bound with a rag wrapped around his eyes and another on his mouth.

 

A quick pat down and rag tied around the eyes later, O’Neill soon found himself being thrown into an empty room. The soldiers just dropped Natsu to the floor, the pink-haired boy wriggling furiously for his freedom. Even Happy had been bound, though O’Neill noticed that as the soldiers threw the cat inside they looked at him like they still didn’t know what to make of him. The men rattled on about something in German, O’Neill would have to ask Daniel about it later. “Well. That was a pleasant first impression.”

 

Gray rolled up from his side. “What do we do O’Neill? We can bust out of these ropes no problem, we’ll make them sorry for capturing us.”

 

O’Neill leaned back against the nearest wall, using it to push his cover over his eyes. “No, they aren’t hostile, right now they’re just doing their jobs. Daniel, what were they talking about?”

 

Daniel tried to turn away from the wall. “Uh, well I’m pretty sure that they were talking about how the Geneva Convention would be utilized, considering they know we’re soldiers but they don’t think we’re part of something called ‘Pack’.”

 

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” Carter said. “I mean in an alternate universe the Geneva Convention could be radically different from what we’re familiar with.”

 

Lucy looked annoyed. “Geneva whatnow?”

 

Teal’c spoke up. “A set of regulations concerning the treatment of captured prisoners during combat. I have read them extensively, they are most merciful compared to the method of treatment Goa’uld put any captured Jaffa through.”

 

“What happens to captured Jaffa?”

 

Teal’c stared at Lucy. “Most unpleasant things.” Lucy shrank and tried not to think about what that entailed.

 

The team waited for hours, moving as little as possible so they didn’t have to worry about rubbing their skin raw from the bindings. O’Neill was halfway through a second REM cycle when the door opened and a young man with a shaved head walked in. “I’m Lt. Campbell, 19th Infantry Battalion. Who are you?”

 

O’Neill used the wall to pull his cap from his eyes. “Well I’m I’m Col. O’Neill, that’s Maj. Carter, Dr. Jackson, Teal’c, Gray, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, and of course we can’t forget Happy.”

 

“Hi, sir!”

 

Campbell stared at the cat for a minute before shaking his head. “You claim you’re American then. You realize how that sounds given the situation?”

 

O’Neill shook his head. “Pretend for a moment that I am not a mental giant.”

 

“You were walking about an active battlefield, I don’t need to pretend.”

 

O’Neill paused. “Fair enough.”

 

Daniel tried. “Listen, we think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding, is there anyone we can talk with, anyone in command here?”

 

Campbell sneered. “You’re in no position to ask to see anyone. You’ll wait here until we decide who can talk with you.”

 

“Lieutenant, we’re not the kind of people who do well in tight spaces,” O’Neill said. “If you’ve got at least a colonel or even a general, we’d really appreciate talking with them.”

 

Campbell kept glaring. “I said, you will not talk to anyone until I deem it allowable.”

 

O’Neill sighed. “Okay, you asked for this. Gray, you want to give him a demonstration?”

 

Gray smiled, and shouted out, “Ice make pillar!” A column of ice erupted from the floor of the room, Campbell shouting as he fell backwards in surprise. Two soldiers ran in with rifles raised, only to curse in German when they saw the ice.

 

O’Neill grinned. “Yeah, so about that phone call?”

 

* * *

 

Brigadier General Pieter Vollmer strode into the room with several staff officers in tow. “They claim they’re Americans?”

 

“I know this lieutenant sir, he’s one of our most grounded and intelligent officers.” Lt. Col. Raymond Guiles read off his data pad. “Five men, three women, and…this can’t be right.”

 

Vollmer looked up. “What?”

 

Guiles cringed. “A blue cat.”

 

Vollmer blinked. “That does not amuse me, Guiles.”

 

Guiles held out the pad. “Sir, there’s a photo.” Vollmer scoffed, grabbing the data pad. He was about to unleash a brutal tirade on his officer when he saw that, yes, there was a blue cat sitting up like a person. Smiling at the camera. Vollmer didn’t say anything as he shoved the pad back into Guiles’s hand. “Of course, sir.”

 

“Look, gentlemen, if these people are Americans it could mean they’ve figured out either a way to negotiate a peace with the Southern People’s Federation or they’ve reached an end to combat operations.” Col. Gregory Forsythe settled into a chair behind a small folding table. “These people could be a sign that the Cold War is finally turning in our favor.”

 

Vollmer sighed as the officers settled into their seats. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, gentlemen, but if they’re going to give us hope of at least securing this facility I’m willing to entertain the hope of it. Sergeant Major?” Sergeant Major Conrad Müller snapped to attention by the door. “Bring them in.” Müller nodded, and walked out, returning shortly after with three men. One was older, about Müller’s age, wearing a jacket and a cap. The second was a massive man, African by his complexion, but with a strange gold marking on his forehead. The third man was more of a boy, ruffled black hair and a stern expression. Vollmer shook his head. “ _God, are the Americans that desperate?_ ”

 

Forsythe leaned forward and turned on a recorder. “Audio log of prisoner interrogation. Present are Brig. Gen. Vollmer, Lt. Col. Guiles, and myself, Col. Forsythe. Also present is Sgt. Maj. Müller. Would the three prisoners give their names and ranks for the record?”

 

“Col. Jack O’Neill, _gootin tag_.”

 

“Teal’c, of Chulak.”

 

“Gray Fullbuster, Fairy Tail.”

 

The officers caught that Teal’c had no last name and that Gray had no rank and talked about “fairy tales”. “Very well. This is to ascertain the purpose of your being present at the Shuhia Taiba food processing facility and to determine appropriate responses, do you have any questions at this time gentlemen?”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Yes, how do we get some of those little cars you guys have?”

 

Vollmer ignored the comment and began the questioning. “So you claim that you are a colonel, and judging by your accent you’re an American. You understand why our suspicions are aroused?”

 

“Sir, what you do with your suspicions is a personal matter, and I won’t intrude.”

 

Forsythe barely fought back a chuckle. Guiles looked like he was about to call for the guards. Vollmer just kept glaring. “Colonel, you are present in a secured facility of the European Union, with weapons, when we are under attack from a crack PAC command regiment with commando support. I highly suggest that you begin to cooperate or we will be forced to hand you over to our intelligence corps. They will no be anywhere near as gentle as we are being right now.”

 

“O’Neill, they want some proof, why don’t I just give it to’em?”

 

O’Neill facetiously made like he was thinking about the choice. “I don’t know Gray, these guys don’t look like they’d appreciate having any more ice to deal with.” The officers looked to each other in confusion, trying to puzzle out what O’Neill was saying. “Oh, what the heck I say, you go ahead an show’em what’s what.”

 

Gray smiled and commanded, “Ice make flower.” With a flash of light Gray held in his hand a bouquet of ice roses, as the officers jumped up in their chairs in surprise. Except for Vollmer. “So, you have some practical special effects in your possession along with sleight of hand. Was this meant to amuse us sir?”

 

O’Neill and Gray looked at each other. “Well, did it?” Vollmer kept glaring. “Okay, time for the big guns. Teal’c, buddy, you want to show them what you’ve got to offer?”

 

Teal’c nodded, unbuttoning his jacket. Vollmer shook his head. “Colonel, I assure you that only two of the men at this table will take any pleasure in what is happening right _mein Gott!_ ” Jumping out of his chair, Vollmer stared at the goa’uld slithering out of Teal’c stomach, hissing at the assembled men before withdrawing back into Teal’c’s pouch.

 

 Forsythe slowly settled back into his chair. “So, other dimensions was it? Well, you’ve certainly proven your point quite effectively colonel.”

 

Vollmer tried to shake off what he just saw as Teal’c put his jacket back in place. “Another dimension…you’re really American?”

 

“See that’s gotta be the keen deductive skills that earned you your rank sir,” O’Neill said. “So why the shock that I’m American?”

 

Guiles shook the shock away. “It is quite a story, colonel. You see, the Earth’s climate has shifted. Massive glacial walls have covered much of the habitable land north of the equator. What decent land remains is now a battleground between various supranational bodies. The North American Confederation has not been able to send any of their forces to our aid since the fighting against the Southern People's Alliance picked up over the Panama Canal. Literally all available forces are in the Caribbean fighting for land and the canal.”

 

O’Neill nodded, forcing himself to remember that this was another dimension and it wasn’t “his” United States at risk. “So, what’s this facility we’re at now then, some kind of research lab?”

 

“In a way,” Forsythe said. “This facility is vital to our food production capabilities. Our civilians have already been displaced by PAC attacks at Camp Gibraltar, if we can’t continue to provide them food we’ll have to concede defeat in North Africa. If we can’t provide for our people and their needs we cede all claims at being their legitimate government.”

 

O’Neill held up a hand. “Hold it, you say they’re attacking civilians?” Vollmer nodded. Looking to Teal’c and Gray, O’Neill made his decision. “Okay, where do you need us to hit?”

 

The officers looked up. “That’s a rather hasty decision to make for such a complex situation colonel,” Vollmer said. “Shouldn’t you contact your superiors over this?”

 

“Nah, I do stuff like this all the time.” Teal’c nodded silently beside O’Neill. “So, you get us a team to get us to the enemy, we strike them hard, everyone walks away happy.”

 

The EU leadership looked at each other like they had just been gifted a giant wooden horse. “Colonel, are you quite sure you’re an officer in the United States military?”

* * *

 

The team sat in the briefing room, watching as unit markers moved across the battlefield against other unit markers. O’Neill was engrossed, watching the movements carefully as blue rectangles held a rough line at the center of the map around the circular administration building.

 

“So. Other dimensions.” Lt. Campbell walked up behind O’Neill. “Must admit, it does seem a touch unbelievable sir.”

 

“Well in my experience ‘believable’ is all over the map,” O’Neill said, watching as the blue rectangles started to move into place. “So, we roll in with these transports, land behind enemy lines, and take their base with a combination of your knowledge of the enemy, our firepower, and save an entire food production facility from being taken from people who desperately need it by other people who desperately need it. I miss anything?”

 

Campbell shook his bald head. “Colonel, if I may, how are you so calm about this? Do you have any idea what we’re about to go up against? A PAC headquarters division is nothing to laugh at, especially when a commando regiment is in support.”

 

“Well after you face down a few gods and dragons and giant robots the idea of getting into a gun battle with a few spec ops just sounds like a Sunday walk in the park.” O’Neill turned away from the screen and looked over a static map of the area. “Okay, if this is their immediate command and control position we should fly about to the south when the main push occurs. Any luck they’ll be too focused on the center of their lines to pay any attention to two transports without an escort.”

 

Campbell nodded, leading O’Neill out of the building to the landing pads. Three boxy transport aircraft sat idling, O’Neill noticing that they also had at their sides a pair of miniguns. Carter was excitedly looking them over, as Natsu kept himself from looking at the aircraft. “Sir, these are incredible. Not only are they completely controlled by vector thrust, it’s completely designed to absorb radar signals. This could revolutionize air travel-”

 

“Carter, a word?” O’Neill motioned for Carter to step away from the aircraft as the combined teams worked out what would happen. For SG-1 going into a mission without a chance to rehearse was standard, but for the Europeans this was probably insanity. “Carter, we’re sure this is a parallel dimension, right? I mean that was the same satellite right?”

 

“There’s no way it couldn’t be sir,” Carter said. “With the adjustments we’ve made to the gate and the quantum mirror there’s less than a point-five percent chance that this could be the future. Plus the rate of advancement for the ice and the sheer size of the glacial wall that I was able to find indicates that this planet has an amount of water greater than our own to an order of-” O’Neill quickly waved away the numbers about to bombard him. “Right, well, basically it isn’t our future sir.”

 

O’Neill nodded. “See, was that so hard to say?” As Carter grinned O’Neill walked to the transports. “Okay LT, tell us what to expect.”

 

Campbell motioned for everyone to gather together. “Alright, PAC commandos aren’t your average riflemen. They’re trained to expect no mercy, and they don’t hand it out so easily. Prepare to face heavy fire the second we near their base, it doesn’t matter if they expect us or not. Also, be ready for possible crash landing, the Shepherds can only take so much fire before they drop us and go.”

 

“Is there anything we should be on watch for?” Carter shouted.

 

Campbell nodded as the engines started to turn up. “The PAC have access to active camo, it enables their forces to slip through an area unseen. If you see a patch of thin air moving don’t ask questions, just shoot it and worry about who it was later. Now everyone load up, we’ve got fifteen to be at our mark before the advance.”

 

The teams piled into the transports, tightly fit but not complaining. As they rose O’Neill saw the main EU force moving into position on the line, tanks and vehicles moving into position around walking robots. Wait. “Hey, what are those things?”

 

Campbell looked out. “You mean the Riesigs? They’re our standard walker, two electric miniguns and two racks of guided rockets. Got a remote-controlled MG and twin SAM missiles atop the chassis too.”

 

O’Neill looked to Carter. “I think I know what I want for Christmas, major.”

 

The transports flew low to the ground, cutting under what Carter presumed was the enemy radar cover. Looking to the other transport, she saw Erza smiling as they flew through the sky aboard the transport. Carter realized that flying aboard an aircraft must have been as strange to her as the ability to fly was to Carter; moving through the air in a metal beast pushing a few thousand horses must have felt like a mind-blowing experience. Then she looked over to see Natsu doubled over on the edge of the transport, trying to hold in his guts from spilling out over the field.

 

“Remember, when you land everyone who has a weapon is a target,” Campbell shouted. “PAC commandos don’t give you a chance to order a surrender.”

 

Becker and Gantz looked across that the transport with Campbell and the American colonel, taking care to not stand too close to the pink-haired kid, listening as the sounds of battle sounded in the distance.

 

Daniel leaned closer to the two. “So, you’re all part of different European nations but you’re all working as one unit?”

 

Becker shook his head. “There’s not quite ‘nations’ like you know them friend. When the ice got past Scandinavia most nations were suffering from near-total collapse. Farmlands going fallow, tax revenue dropping like mad, borders meant nothing in the face of millions of refugees fleeing from the ice.”

 

Daniel looked confused. “But you’re clearly German, and your lieutenant is obviously Scottish.”

 

Gantz shook his head. “You come from the ‘United States’ but there were New Yorkers and Texans.”

 

Daniel looked away quickly. “Alright, fair point.”

 

Campbell came over the radio. “Advance has begun, they’re already reporting intense PAC resistance. The faster we break their command and control the fewer casualties we’ll suffer.”

 

Daniel looked down at the barren plains beyond, watching as clouds obscured the horizon. Explosions sounded far behind the transports, barely audible over the turbines. Daniel realized that it must have been powerful ordinance to be able to break through the engines.

 

The aircraft shook, and Daniel saw tracers streak past the transports. The pilots started to evade, bringing a fresh round of groaning out of Natsu. “Ugh, I can’t take this anymore. Happy, get me outta here.”

 

“Aye, sir!” Grabbing Natsu, the cat’s wings appeared and the two went flying out of the side of the transport.

 

Daniel watched as Natsu’s face went from trying not to let lunch go to eager to inflict some pain. “Great, now he’ll get himself killed in another dimension.”

 

Natsu laughed, swooping away from the transport with a manic grin. “Alright Happy, let’s show these jerks what happens when you shoot at a Fairy Tail wizard.” Looking over the small base, Natsu saw a trio of small boxes rotating around, firing at the transports and Natsu’s friends. “Let’s take those things out before they bring down those stupid things. Fire dragon roar!”

 

Happy flew over the base, Natsu breathing fire down on the black-suited PAC troops. The men screamed as dragon fire covered the three positions, men slapping their arms and legs or rolling around on the ground to desperately put themselves out. “Good job buddy, that aughta-“ Natsu was cut off as rifle fire whizzed by. “Hey, what gives, don’t you idiots know what you’re dealing with here?”

 

Daniel shook his head as Becker and Gantz watched the pair of wings try to serpentine through the sky. “Well if nothing else they’re taking a lot of the fire away from us.”

 

The transport banked hard, Daniel grabbing on to a handle with all he had. Looking out the side he watches a missile streak past. “I thought Natsu just set fire to everything down there.”

 

Gantz laughed as the transport banked again. “What, they don’t have handheld SAM missiles where you’re from?”

 

Daniel was about to make a witty comeback when the transport shook and started falling rapidly.

 

Campbell cursed. “Pilot, get us down and get back to the staging area.” The two remaining transports eased into the dust, and as O’Neill watched figures dove behind the downed transport and started returning fire on the PAC HQ. The twin guns on his transport started to chatter, raking long lines up and down the PAC barricades. As the transport skimmed the dust, O’Neill marked a spot and jumped out. Laying prone he lined up his sights and let a burst loose. Daring to look, he saw Daniel crawl out of the smoking transport as Teal’c laid down fire with his staff. Lucy shook her head as one of the EU soldiers pulled her up, trying to clear the cobwebs from the crash. As O’Neill watched, she reached for her side and drew her whip. Then she saw the distance away from her enemy and put it back in exchange for her pistol. “ _Well what do you know,_ ” O’Neill thought. “ _They’re getting the picture._ ”

 

“Colonel.” O’Neill saw Erza get into the prone next to him. “I have several armors that could easily withstand their weapons fire, I’ll move behind their positions and requip to try and get them to surrender.”

 

“Alright fine, just don’t get yourself killed to do it!”

 

Erza nodded, her outfits changing in a flash of light from her fatigues to what looked to O’Neill like something that Playboy would reject for being too ridiculous looking; a leopard-print bikini with hot pants and cat ears. Before O’Neill could make a comment she seemed to blink across the field.

 

“What the hell was that,” Weber shouted as the transport sped back to the EU lines. “Did she just change her battle dress into a bikini?”

 

O’Neill nodded as the fire toward the transports faltered. “You get used to seeing weird stuff with us.”

 

Erza jumped between PAC soldiers, requipping into her Adamantine armor in the center of a platoon of men. “If any of you can understand me, we have breached your lines and have three teams attacking your headquarters. If you surrender now you will be treated humanely.” The nearest soldier to her raised his rifle, but Erza didn’t hesitate. She wrenched the rifle out of the soldier’s hands and shoved it back into his face, then put her left arm in front of her as she charged a trio of PAC soldiers trying to kill her.

 

Campbell started motioning towards the HQ. “Push up, push up!” The EU forces sprang from cover, O’Neill watching as they made a textbook fire-and-maneuver advance towards their enemy. Combined with Erza beating PAC soldiers senseless and Natsu still taking fire from the ground, they quickly closed the gap to the barricades. They were a well-oiled machine, taking a field of fire and owning it as two men stayed back with the pilot of the downed transport. Teal’c and Daniel came up behind them as O’Neill and Carter took their own positions.

 

“These are hardened warriors O’Neill,” Teal’c shouted. “They are reacting with little shock or surprise to what they are seeing.”

 

“Yeah well we’re gonna have to do something about that.” O’Neill looked over to Lucy, who was huddled behind a barricade as Gray tried to turn the ground beneath the men to ice. “Lucy! Get one of your friends out here, one of the strong ones!”

 

Lucy nodded, reaching for one of her keys. “Open get of the maiden, Virgo!”

 

A woman in a maid outfit appeared, and the fire dropped again before O’Neill popped up and downed three PAC soldiers. “You summoned a maid?!”

 

“She’s stronger than she looks,” Lucy shouted back, putting her pistol back in her holster in exchange for her whip. “Virgo, help Erza out and show these guys who we are!”

 

Virgo nodded. “I’ll do what I can mistress.” O’Neill watched as Virgo dropped into the ground and seconds later appeared behind a PAC machine gun. Before the gunners realized what was happening, Virgo slammed her hands over their heads and threw them towards their comrades. A small vehicle raced to her with guns firing, only for the maid to rip up a hunk of Earth and throw it at the vehicle. The mass of ground impacted hard enough to force the buggy back, two men scrambling out.

 

O’Neill watched the situation. PAC troops were trying to stay up on a sheet of ice, pinned down by fire from the EU platoon, trying not to be burned to death from above, or being thrown about by Erza. “Holy crap, this is actually working.” He heard Natsu laughing from above, and looking up he saw the teen swoop low to unleash some more fire on the PAC troops. “Natsu, hold your position! You, PACs, throw your weapons down and move forward!” One of the men slipped and fell on his face. “Or just slide over, Gray next time just throw some ice at them.”

 

One of the PAC soldiers shouted something in Russian. “Daniel, what’d he say?”

 

“Something about a ‘titan’,” Daniel said. “Sgt. Weber, what’s it mean?”

 

Weber turned to their radioman. “Get to command, tell them we need fighter support and that we’re in the process of securing intelligence.”

 

Lucy turned to ask what that meant when heavy guns sounded in the far distance. O’Neill realized that if he heard them, they were already too late to move. “Everyone get to cover, move!” Everyone scrambled, but as Lucy tried to move gunfire raked her position. Virgo looked up, and dove underground again.

 

As the EU soldiers ran, Weber saw the blonde girl, “Lucy”, huddling as a PAC soldier tried to kill her. Firing at the PAC, Weber ran over and tried to pull Lucy up, until the ground in front of her rose up. Not realizing what was happening, Weber threw herself over Lucy’s body and braced for the hit. The shells slammed around them, Lucy screaming as the terror of the strike erupted around her. Looking up, Weber saw the maid holding the earth up. “Please get my mistress away from danger, I think that another shell is about to land.” Weber didn’t wait, she got moving with Lucy in tow. Five seconds after Weber reached the downed transport, a fresh rain of shells slammed into the upturned earth. The maid went flying back with a scream, outfit ripped up and even steaming from the blast.

 

“Virgo!” Lucy tried to run for the maid but Weber was easily able to hold her back. “Go back Virgo, go back to the spirit world!”

 

As the maid disappeared, O’Neill watched as a shape drifted into view from behind the clouds. It was massive, surrounded in a shell of red pulsing light. Grabbing his binoculars, O’Neill saw four turrets focused on his position. “Lunatics, they’re gonna shell their own people just to keep from losing.”

 

“Hold fast,” Campbell shouted. “Those guns are zeroing on the HQ, get caught in that and you're done for.”

 

O’Neill checked. Lucy and Gray had managed to make it back to the transport, along with a majority of the platoon. The others were scattered about; Erza threw two men at the side of a building before raising her arm to block another shell. The blast pushed her back, but O’Neill saw cracks forming in the armor. Natsu and Happy still flew about, covered soldiers still firing at them. “Carter, this is looking way too familiar.”

 

“This one makes a little more sense to me sir,” Carter shouted. “We just need to find the main engines and down that thing, but I’m pretty sure that’s some kind of shield around it.”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Lieutenant, you got anything that can bust that thing open?”

 

“We radioed for supersonics sir,” Campbell shouted as a new round of shells landed. “They’ll be here in three, two, one.” Before O’Neill realized what was happening, the shield around the airship vanished with a series of electrical blasts. “There, she’s open.” Looking around, Campbell pointed and started running. “Weber, get the squad moving to this position, tell Garcia to get his explosives ready.”

 

O’Neill followed, grabbing at his radio. “Erza, Natsu, follow us, the lieutenant’s got a plan to take that thing out.” Rushing up behind Campbell, O’Neill saw him running towards a makeshift vehicle bay with two heavy vehicles O’Neill suspected to be PAC transports. “You know, when they say you have to drive fast to make your flight I don’t think they mean achieving lift.”

 

“These vehicles have four pods each in them capable of reaching a minimum ceiling of about six-oh-nine meters,” Campbell said, O’Neill watching as eight of the EU soldiers clambered inside. “We can handle taking the titan down, you need to keep this position secure until we get back.”

 

O’Neill looked to Carter and Teal’c. “You’ve done this before?”

 

“Verdun, 2140,” Weber said as she checked her kit. “Destroyed the titan, bought three weeks for the retreat. Sir, any final orders?”

 

“Get back alive,” Campbell said, clapping Weber on the shoulder. “Alright, get these beasts to where we can launch the pods, move!”

 

“I’m going as well,” Erza said, requipping into a black set of armor with bat wings that O’Neill had to rub his eyes at seeing. “I should be able to at least make the same height with this armor.”

 

Carter had about the same reaction. “Erza, that’s less clothing that you were wearing when we first met you, how does that protect you at all?”

 

“This armor allows me to fly, once I’m up on the airship I’ll be able to support the soldiers. Natsu! Have Happy fly you to the craft as well.”

 

Natsu gave a thumbs-up. “Alright, torching another big ugly flying ship. I’m actually starting to like being with you colonel.”

 

O’Neill shook his head. “Feeling ain’t mutual.”

 

The two transports lurched out of their cover, EU soldiers scanning the base for any more trouble. Watching, O’Neill jumped as the pods streaked out of their launchers in a burst. “Guess we’ll just stay here then.”

 

Erza jumped from the ground and soared, ignoring the cold as she followed the exhaust of the pods. Natsu and Happy flew up beside her, Natsu grinning with excitement as they got closer to the airship. “Think I could get rid of this stupid gun now that the colonel can’t see us?”

 

“Focus Natsu,” Erza shouted. “Once we’re aboard we follow their instructions. Listen to what they tell us and we’ll take this monster down.” Natsu scoffed, but watched as the pods slammed into the rear deck of the airship. The metal shells fell apart, and the eight soldiers rushed to a group of metal crates scattered about the deck. Flying over the deck, Erza requipped back to her adamantine armor and landed with a great crash. All fire concentrated on her, rounds flying everywhere as she knelt and held up her shields. The EU squad grabbed several things that Natsu didn’t recognize and threw them, and he heard screaming before a series of massive explosions ripped through the back of the airship. “Happy, how much longer can you keep flying?”

 

“Long as you need me to buddy,” Happy shouted. “Do you think they can do it?”

 

“Erza’s down there, we have to help her.” There was a loud whine, and Natsu saw two aircraft rise from the front of the airship. They were small, turning on a dime as they faced Natsu. “Alright, you guys want to see who’s best in the air? C’mon then!”

 

Watching as Natsu flew off, Erza marched forward into the hangar of the titan. There were bodies scattered about, others crying out from their wounds. Erza did her best to ignore them, she knew that destroying the airship needed to take precedence. “Alright, where do we go first?”

 

“We need to reach four consoles,” Weber said, reloading her weapon. “Keep that armor on and move for console one, we’ll take console two. Once those are down we can hit consoles three and four. We’ll handle the core from there. Durand, Garcia, Van der Burgh, go with her. The rest of you with me.”

 

As the teams split, Gantz looked to Weber. “You’re taking all this pretty well in stride sergeant. Magic and other dimensions? All kind of crazy.”

 

“Right now we’re going to destroy a PAC titan,” Weber said sternly. “As far as I’m concerned crazy can fuck off and let me do my job.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Their guns have stopped,” Campbell said, observing the titan from the ground. “They know they’re aboard now, they’ll be sending all available crew and passengers to defend the reactor consoles now.”

 

“Then we’d better get to work,” O’Neill said, motioning for SG-1 to follow him. The EU soldiers left on the ground had already begun policing the wounded and other prisoners. Two were setting charges on several automated support trailers, and as O’Neill passed the radioman he heard the advance had stalled.

 

Carter kept pace as O’Neill went to one of the trailers. “Sir, what exactly are you thinking?”

 

“These guys have to have their own files and intel, we can give it to the nice new friends we have out there and keep winning them over.” Checking that the trailer was clear, O’Neill moved inside. “Grab any computers you can, bring them to Campbell and make sure they’re protected.”

 

SG-1 set to work, grabbing laptops and towers and any paper files they could grab. Campbell nodded as O’Neill started stacking up the intelligence, nodding to the office complex. “Command confirmed it, if that titan reaches the lines they’re pulling back and bombarding the area. They’d rather destroy the complex than see the PAC abuse it.”

 

Looking up, O’Neill shook his head. “How long should this normally take?”

 

Campbell checked his watch. “If they’re on schedule, they’ll have started to destroy their objectives now.”

 

O’Neill nodded, but stopped as he set a laptop down. He saw Teal'c staring at the ground behind one of the transports. “Lieutenant, have you ever seen the movie _Predator_?”

 

“Hell sir we love it,” Campbell said, smiling before the realization hit him. “Bloody hell, button up the APC!” The men inside the vehicles quickly locked up, leaving Campbell and SG-1 scanning the area around them. “I don’t understand, what are they waiting for?”

 

“Any more surprises,” O’Neill said, keeping his P90 up. “Or do they just like to sneak around?” No one answered. “Carter? Lieutenant?” The feel of a gun barrel suddenly appeared next to O’Neill’s head. “Ah, there we go.”

 

“You American,” the voice said in a heavily accented Russian. “Why you here?”

 

“Oh you know, just a little sightseeing, checking out the local sights.” O’Neill tried to look just a little bit to the side. The weapon didn’t feel like a large caliber, it was probably a carbine for the commando units. “So did Russia ever go back to communism, or was straight-up dictatorship the way to go?” O’Neill shouted as a rifle butt slammed into his ribs, collapsing to his knees. “C’mon,” he coughed. “Turn off that camo and fight like a man.”

 

A second Russian voice came from O’Neill’s right. The first voice answered. “Has America seized control of the canal? Who is the president?”

 

O’Neill fought back against the pain. “Honestly I’ve never been on for politics, you might want to check Fox News to learn who _shouldn’t_ be in office.” There it was, the shift of fabric to his left as the Russian reared to strike again. O’Neill jumped up, grabbing where he could guess the arms were and wrestling the Russian to the ground. From his peripherals he saw Carter and Campbell take the chance and start fighting with their own suddenly present enemies. The camo started to malfunction, the image of a soldier clad in black armor and gray BDUs appearing. O’Neill ripped off the soldier’s helmet and started laying into the man. To his left Teal'c was fighting off two invisible soldiers, Daniel hugging the ground to keep out of his way. Satisfied that his own opponent was down for the count, O'Neill ran over and tackled the PAC commando fighting Carter. "Help the LT!"

 

Carter nodded and rushed over, drawing her knife and plunging it deep into Campbell's target. The man let out a gurgle, blood staining the nothingness where he stood.

 

Teal'c knocked down one of his foes, and with a spin of his staff took out the final invisible threat. Panting, O'Neill grinned. "Bet they didn't see that coming.

 

Campbell groaned. "Are you all like this back where you come from?"

 

* * *

 

 

Erza braced as the gunfire slammed into her armor. The rounds weren’t actually doing any damage, but they were bouncing through the corridor. Looking behind, she saw one of the men, Garcia, attaching two small devices to a console. It was a trio of cylinders with three red lights and a keypad on the center, and as the man finished he gave a thumbs up. “Okay, start backing up Erza. I’ll blow it when we’re clear.” Erza slowly moved back, hearing the soldiers ahead of her shouting in a new language. It was clear they’d angered them, there was no need to translate that. “Alright, hold fast, fire in the hole!”

 

The blast rocked the corridor, some of the men ahead screaming out in terror and pain. Peeking out, Erza saw the corridor filled with smoke, bodies laying on the floor ahead of her. Garcia grabbed her shoulder. “We need to move to console three, c’mon.”

 

Erza nodded, following the men through the hangar again. The second team led by Weber ran out, and Erza watched as one of them pulled a small rectangular device. Tapping at the top of it, the soldier set it down on a tripod as he took out a smaller machine. As the first one started to rotate in a small arc, the second one expanded into a glowing barrier that the man laid down behind.

 

Weber shook Erza from her wonder. “What are you doing, trying to get killed? Get to the third console and destroy it!”

 

Erza shook herself out of her distraction and ran ahead of the three soldiers, Weber shaking her head. “ _Damn fool needs to focus._ ” Motioning, she let Becker and Gantz go into the corridor and throw two grenades ahead of them. Ricci and Belenko stood behind her, Belenko holding her shotgun at the ready. Ricci reloaded his carbine, rushing forward with Belenko after the grenade blasts. Weber followed them in, smoke clearing as they fired down the hall for any more surprises. Ducking to the side when they reached the console, Weber grabbed the RDX and planted two charges. Looking across the reactor room, she saw Garcia doing the same. Setting the instructions, Weber tapped Belenko and Ricci on the shoulder, telling them to fall back. When the two were back, she tapped Gantz and Becker telling them to fall back. Out of the corridor, Weber detonated the explosives and felt the titan rock as Garcia did the same.  Sirens blared in the hangar, and massive metal doors opened to the reactor core.

 

“We did it,” Erza shouted, starting to walk into the core. “C’mon, we need to destroy the core.”

 

Weber grabbed Erza and pulled her back. “What are you thinking, are you trying to kill yourself?”

 

Before Erza could ask what was happening, one of the squad knelt down with a small device in their hand. Holding it just through the threshold, she watched as a small screen on it flickered and turned green. Walking forward, Weber held up a small metallic rectangle. “I don’t care what that armor’s made of or how magic works. If you had walked through this, we’d be scrapping the pieces up with a shovel.”

 

Erza nodded, chastising herself as the squad ran in and started placing explosives on a metal shell that contained a bright blue beam. “What is that, some kind of lacrima?”

 

“It’s a concentrated microwave beam focused through a series of diamonds,” Weber said. “Now c’mon, the explosives are set.” Racing to the rear of the airship, Weber thought she heard shouting in Russian behind her. “Blow it, blow it now!”

 

Garcia hit his detonator, blasts rocking the ship again as the lights inside the hangar went from white to red. Klaxons started to blare through the ship, a monotone voice calmly making some kind of warning. Erza requipped into her Black Wing armor and lifted off from the rear of the airship. “I can only carry one of you at a time, are any of you wounded?” Weber grinned, running off the edge of the rear deck after the squad. Erza tried to reach for her. “No, don’t!”

 

Weber smiled as she and the others opened the standard parachutes included in all modern APCs assault pods. As the squad drifted back to Earth Erza floated down next to Weber with a grin. “You really scared me sergeant. Are you all unhurt?”

 

“No one was walking funny on the way out,” Weber said. “Where’s that pink-haired boy and the cat?”

 

A blast of flame ripped through the sky above them, and Natsu came down from above punching the cockpit glass off one of the VTOL craft. “I’ll teach you to shoot at me you jerks, come out here and fight me!”

 

“Erza!” Happy, tried to dodge away from the other VTOL as it shot at him. “Help, they’re really trying to kill us!”

 

Roaring, Erza took off towards the aircraft pursuing Happy. The pilot tried to swing around to face the new threat, gun roaring at Erza, but her turns were too sharp for the pilot to follow. Bringing her sword down, Erza had to shake off the shock when the machine didn’t break apart. With another roar Erza tried to slice through the cockpit, but only succeeded in getting one of her blades stuck in the glass.

 

Garcia came over the radio. “ _Sarge, what the hell is she doing?_ ”

 

Weber groaned. “It won’t matter when the titan goes critical.”

 

Erza dove away, holding Happy close as she tried to dodge the gunfire. The first VTOL was trying to shake Natsu off, the rage at the crew trying to attack Happy was able to override the motion sickness he would have been feeling otherwise. “ _I need to get them away from the others, I think I can-_ ”

 

The titan exploded, a massive shockwave ripping through the sky. Erza struggled to hold on to Happy, shrapnel streaking past Erza’s face with incredible heat. A chunk of the airship tore through the rear of the VTOL, striking what looked like an engine at the rear of the aircraft. The aircraft went spiraling out of control, speeding towards the ground. The cockpit flew open, and two seats shot up propelled into the air, two parachutes opening seconds after.

 

Natsu was still clinging to the second aircraft, until Erza flew past and grabbed him off. “Hey, I was just about to get in there, let me go!” Looking back, Natsu saw the aircraft line up and the gun underneath the front start to fire. Then a hail of gunfire hit the VTOL from beneath, riddling it with rounds, and one even managing to rip an entire wing off. Looking past it, Natsu’s face lit up seeing the massive form of the titan falling from the skies in a smoking heap. “Holy cow, next time I get to blow one up.”

 

Down on the ground O’Neill let out a whistle as Campbell got out of one of the surviving anti-air turrets. “Yeah, that’s about what I expected to happen.”

 

Campbell looked over. “You’ve done this before?”

 

“Oh yeah.” O’Neill put the last of the computers into the back of the APC, ignoring the pain of the fistfight and a quickly swelling right cheek. “Spaceships, airships, giant robots. You don’t have any of those things do you?”

 

Campbell saw a Mk. 1 titan coming over the EU lines. “No, course we don’t. Uh, I’ll call command and tell them we’ve accomplished the mission.”

 

* * *

 

Vollmer watched as the PAC titan slammed into the ground just behind the main PAC lines. The loss of the titan combined with the decapitation of their command collapsed the PAC units, without their leaders the PAC forces either started retreating or surrendering. The food production facility was secured, and the preliminary reports from the engineering units stated that damage to the facility was minimal. Vollmer’s best guess was that the PAC units had been ordered to keep the Shuhia Taiba as intact as possible.

 

“Sir,” Guiles said, rushing in. “Lt. Campbell radioed, he says that they took out the titan and they’ve secured multiple computer drives from the PAC headquarters.”

 

“Pull them back from the line and have them report to me immediately,” Vollmer said. “Have intelligence secure those drives and get a company to secure that wreckage.” Vollmer thought for a minute. “Have the field kitchen make them a fresh meal, for all of them.”

 

Thirty minutes later, two Shepherd transports flew back to the LZ with the teams aboard. Medics rushed to help Lucy and Natsu, though Natsu tried to swat the medics back. Vollmer walked over, shaking O’Neill and Campbell’s hands. “Excellent work gentlemen. Colonel, that titan was the PAC’s force-multiplier in the region. Without it our food production for our people is secured.”

 

“It’s what we do, you know, helping people and saving lives.” O’Neill clapped Campbell on the shoulder. “You should be proud of him, he really did some good work there.” Campbell smiled awkwardly, Weber shaking her head as she walked behind O’Neill.

 

“I’ll make sure to mention the work of his platoon in the final reports,” Vollmer said. “I had the mess ready fresh food, your teams can step in and have something to eat after all you’ve done.”

 

Campbell saluted. “Sir. Sergeant, gather the platoon and get them settled. Have them all in the mess and then take stock of our supplies.”

 

“Sir, with all due respect,” Erza said, stepping forward. “Col. O’Neill and his team are engaged in their own conflict with a dangerous enemy of their own. They need assistance, and while we can aid them our abilities aren’t enough. If this battle was a victory surely you can help them with this defeat.”

 

Vollmer shook his head. “I will admit our worlds are…different, Ms. Scarlet. I do not know how war works in your homeland. Here, a single defeat will not end the threat of the PAC. All we did was secure our food supplies for the immediate future. I can’t imagine how my superiors will react to this news. Let alone the fact that I let strangers claiming to be from an alternate universe fight alongside our own forces against our enemies. The only thing that _might_ help this story is the footage recorded by Lt. Campbell’s men.”

 

The Fairy Tail wizards looked to each other, trying to compute. Lucy looked over to O’Neill, confused and scared. “You mean this wasn’t the end? We just destroyed that giant thing, and these people still have to keep fighting? What was the point of all of this then?”

 

“Wars aren’t just winning a battle and moving on with life kid,” O’Neill said. “Europe’s a big place, if the entire EU is fighting this PAC nation, then they’re in for a long haul. Sir, if we can’t get any aid, can we at least have a few weapons to bring back and study, maybe some body armor too?”

 

Vollmer nodded. “I’ll see that you have at least two each, along with the necessary technical manuals and a few seized PAC weapons coupled with our reports on them. Hopefully this can at least put you on the proper path.”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Thank you, sir. We appreciate the food, we’ll eat up while your people get the gear ready and then we’ll head out.”

 

“We’re staying.” Everyone stopped to look at Erza. “We’re going to help fight these PAC soldiers and bring peace.”

 

Gray looked at Erza like she’d blown a gasket. “Erza, what are you saying? We’re not soldiers, we don’t know how to fight a war.”

 

“The oddly shirtless boy is right,” Guiles said, Gray looking down and realizing that he’d taken off his top again. “You’re not soldiers, at best you’re mercenaries to our laws. We cannot put you on the frontlines without our superiors giving their authorization. I’m sorry, that’s just how it has to work.”

 

“A Fairy Tail wizard never ignores the pain around them,” Erza said, requipping into her usual armor. Vollmer and the others stared at the sight in shock. “Your people are starving, and the PAC are trying to make it worse. We need to learn about these kind of conflicts, going to new dimensions with Col. O’Neill will only tell us about these new worlds. We need to learn about how to fight alongside soldiers. Protecting the innocent goes hand in hand.”

 

Vollmer thought for a moment. “Your methods are not what the PAC expect. You could be valuable moving behind their lines. Far behind their lines.” Part of the PAC titan exploded in the distance. “Far away from civilians.”

 

“Colonel, are you sure about this?” Carter looked at the distant smoking wreck of the PAC titan. “Leaving Natsu here could make things worse for any potential relations with this EU.”

 

“Natsu will listen to me,” Erza said, grabbing Natsu by the shoulder and pulling him close. “Won’t you Natsu?”

 

Natsu stiffened and put a frightened smile on his face. “Of course, I’ll do whatever you say Erza.”

 

“I will remain as well,” Teal’c said, stepping forward. “I believe I can be the vital bridge between this universe and our own O’Neill.”

 

O’Neill blinked. “Teal’c, buddy, you sure about that? I mean you and Natsu aren’t exactly the most copacetic of types here.”

 

“Natsu will be my responsibility,” Erza said firmly. “Whatever he’s told to do, I’ll make sure he does it.”

 

Guiles looked to Vollmer. “Sir, what are your orders?”

 

Vollmer pondered the offer. “Ms. Scarlet? This war may carry on for many more years. If you believe you can be ready for this kind of conflict, then I will recommend your aid to my superiors.”

 

Erza took the armor off her left arm and showed her mark. “Fairy Tail wizards always follow through on their promises. All of us here can make the same promise.”

 

Vollmer sighed. “We’ll discuss the finer points after we get you all fed. I sense that you’re the type of people who do what they want regardless of who tells you otherwise. Better to channel that to good ends rather than let you run wild.”

 

Natsu pointed at Vollmer. “Hang on, I might be afraid of Erza but I never said I’d listen to you.”

 

Teal’c looked down to Happy. “Happy, I require a view of the area. Can you fly me up to where I can gain the most advantageous view.”

 

Happy’s wings sprung out. “Aye sir, leave it to me!”

 

Natsu shook his fist as Happy flew away with Teal’c. “And who said you could take my cat?!”


End file.
